30 Weeks!

Hi Baby,

It's 30 weeks already. You're pretty active, mommy enjoys feeling you moving around, and seeing the movement on the tummy. We went to the clinic this morning and weight gain wise, we're up 2.2kg, just over the weight gain limit but still ok. The nurse had to check the blood pressure twice because the first reading was too high, because mommy and the nurse were talking the first time round. Check up with the other nurse went well too, she asked the usual questions, like if mommy had any discharges and what nots and if anything happens go straight to emergency. Then she checked the fundus height and fetal heartbeat, it took a while for her to find you. And right after she was done you kicked! Hehe...

Mommy was done at the clinic in half an hour and we have an appointment again next week on daddy's birthday. I must remember to check when was the last time mommy had tetanus shot so the nurse can work out whether mommy need another or not.

It's time to eat now, it's spinach and salmon for us today!

Love,

Mommy

Baby Movements

Hi Baby,

It's great to feel you all active inside my abdomen. This is week 28 now and your movement is pretty obvious on the outside. Sometimes, I don't know what you're doing in there but the movement is deep inside. So far I'm pretty glad it's not the bladder you're hitting. It says that (from the pregnancy stuff I've been reading) mommy is suppose to count 10 movements in 10 minutes. When daddy is next to mommy, I'd take his hand and place it on tummy so he could feel you too and be part of the experience. It's important for mommy that daddy is involved as much as possible with your development.

We have a check up at 30 weeks, wonder what that is going to be like, mommy worried about the weigh in. Haven't gone to your granny's to use their weighing scale of late, mommy's feeling blase again about this whole thing.

Mommy like being pregnant, so far, I'm not sure about the ending.. the giving birth part, it'll probably be one of those moments which I heard mommies tend to forget. Apart from the first trimester feeling nauseated the rest was pretty smooth sailing. The next stage is being a parent.

Love,

Mommy

Breast Feeding, Thy Is Gold

Hi Baby,

Mommy had a good morning today. Mommy was one of the lucky few who got invited to attend the first Breast Feeding Workshop held by the Ministry of Health, they got funding from the World Health Organization to conduct it.

0-6 Months

I must say, all the things mommy learnt was all the positive information mommy been reading up, it is good to know that the nursing community are encouraging breast feeding. As a matter in fact, the first 6 months of your life, that is all you're going to get nothing else, not even water because mommy's milk got everything you need! Isn't that amazing, what's even more amazing somehow mommy's milk will adjust accordingly as you grow. Like the milk you'll receive as soon as you're born is totally different from the milk you'll be drinking 3 weeks after that, and different 2 months after that.

No Bottles & Formulas

And bottle feeding is discouraged! Yay! No messing about with bottles, teats and steralisation of the stuff. That is such good news. Why, so baby'll work at suckling. And when mommy's not around, you get your milk from a feeding cup and baby'll pretend like a cat to drink it. Milk formula is considered a waste of money, they said the money spent on formula is better spent making sure mommy eats healthily so the breast milk is top notch for you. Remember baby, the more you suck your milk, the more milk mommy'll be able to produce, supply and demand, hahaha! And apparently, there is no such thing as eating a certain food to increase milk production. All they said was to just eat healthily and drink lots and lots of water.

Feeding Cup

So we need to get you a feeding cup. It could be anything as long as the edges are blunt. Reasons being it's easier to clean and risk of infection is lower compared to bottles. And when feeding you with a cup, baby will sit upright.

How To Hold Baby

Oh yes, with breast feeding, baby's body is in a straight line, your head and back must be align, and tummy to tummy. Baby gotta pretend to be a fish, your mouth open wide before latching onto breast. And baby's mouth are to go over the areola and the nipple just sits on baby's tongue. So baby's pumping action is over the areola, not the nipples. And baby's cheeks will be full when correctly positioned.

Feed On Demand

And there is no such thing as feeding period and duration, baby will feed whenever you get hungry and will stop when full all by yourself. The only thing mommy has to do is keep you awake when you're feeding by playing and tickling you. Burping after feeding, don't have to, just sit baby upright, head and back in a straight line and baby'll burp yourself.

Skin to skin contact is encouraged immediately after delivery. As a matter of fact, even before they clean you up mommy is to breast feed you. Hopefully you'd want to. Interesting fact one of the nurses told mommy, the smell of the areola area is the same as the smell when baby's in utero. Only baby will know that one and because of that, you will automatically will find your way to it. I must remember mommy is to not lean forward for feeding, you are to lean towards mommy. We were shown three different ways to hold baby when feeding, cradle, football and lying down and they made us all try holding a baby dummy which was surprisingly weighty, so we know the correct way to hold babies. Must remember your arm positions and not to pin you down.

Aahh, the one thing they stress was mommy and baby must relax during feeding time. And noone is to disturb us.

When mommy goes back to work, baby'll be taken care of by granny most likely. So mommy gotta express milk for you, they told us we can get the steralised milk bags from Happy Star, a japanese brand. I wonder how much it'll cost, mommy could see it contains 160 bags from the box the nurse was holding as she showed us. Must keep the leaflet on milk storage handy, it tells how long we could store them. And the feeding cup. No bottles for you.

Introducing Food

So for the first 6 months of your life it's all breast milk. After you hit your 180th day old and double your birth weight is when we introduce other foods to you. Mommy is thinking between mashed banana or avocado as your first meal. And we only feed you 1/4 teaspoon at a time, twice a day, working up to 3 teaspoons per feed. When introducing you to new food, they say to wait 5 to 10 days to see signs of any allergies. Well, if you following mommy, not very likely, if you're following daddy, probably just seafood. But you'll still be breast feeding.

Then at 9 months, we can introduce you to corser food, as a matter in fact, baby will feed yourself. Working on your hand eye coordination. Good thing we have tiled floors, maybe the cats will hang around you during then to see what titbits they can get. Daddy already talking about getting you a baby chair for dining room.

The Labour Process

What mommy was really grateful for was that they had the nurses from the labour ward there too, and after the workshop was over and everyone left, mommy took the opportunity to ask them the process of what happens when in labour, and the matron and nurse who took the time to explain it all were fantastic.

They explained to mommy when mommy should come to the ward, they said there are three signs:

• Contractions that are close together and with increasing intensity - the sister said the contractions should be about 10 to 15 min apart, 15 min get ready to go, 10 min, should be at the hospital already. And keep moving when contractions happening to speed up.
• The 'show' - that's the blood mucus plug for the cervix, when that comes out it means the cervix is stretching, the opening to the uterus.
• Water breaking - regardless if the first two hadn't happened yet, come straight to the labour ward.

So now we know. And to bring the big patient card which the clinic will give when the due date is getting closer and the appointment card so that the nurses at the labour ward can quickly refer to them. So that goes into mommy and baby's overnight bag, which reminds me, mommy gotta wash baby's outfits first.

In The Labour Room

Mommy asked what happens in the labour room and who will be in there. Of course there's mommy and most likely daddy too, and probably one or two midwife(ves). The nurses will come in afterwards to sort out baby after coming out like measuring, weighing and dressing. The doctor will only come in if there're any complications, and is on standby in the ward.

No Episiotomy!

Mommy never liked the idea of having the episiotomy and asked if they give it as a routine? And great news, they said they prefer to not give and advised mommy to massage the perinium to get it ready to stretch. If they have to it'll be a small cut. Mommy was still pushing the issue, but they say a tear will heal faster as oppose to cutting, and as long as mommy follows the midwife advice during labour it could be prevented. The sister said the one reason why there would be a servere tear is when the mothers are pushing too soon.

Delivery Positions

The sister also said there are two ways of delivery, one is on the back and the other is sideways, which they said is easier, only mommy is wondering who'll be holding the leg up. Mommy going to have to look up how that works.

Labour Time

Apparently for first time mothers, labour can take up to an hour before baby is finally out from full cervix dilation of 10 cm. From 0 to 4 cm can take ages, and it'll be 1 cm every hour after that. So mommy is going to be feeling contractions for at least 12 hours!! And we haven't even gotten to the part where mommy have to push you out. Oh, and apparently it's suppose to be like as if mommy got constipation... heh...

Then the whole placenta coming out, it'll look like liver on a rope. That comes after baby, I think the sister said something about a small contraction, mommy wouldn't even need to push it out. And the uterus will shrink down immediately she said.

When baby comes out, baby will be put straight onto mommy and hopefully you'd want to feed straight away so we can start the process to prevent you from getting jaundice. After you're done feeding then nurses will come to take you to do all the measuring and dressing and mommy get cleaned up, and after that we'd get wheeled out from the labour room into the post labour ward... hopefully the first class labour rooms would be available by then and we'll go in there instead. Some quiet time with mommy, daddy and baby.

Time In Hopsital

How long will we be in hospital? For normal delivery, 24 hours after delivery or the next working day. For C section it'll be five days because surgery is involved. Mommy and daddy praying for normal delivery for you. The sooner we get out of there the better, don't you think?

Other bits of information, the sister said mommy'll probably see up to ten different people from the onset of entering the ward. And mommy happens to come between shift changes will see more.

Gave mommy directions on how to get to the labour ward, during working hours is just get dropped off at the gynea clinic which is opposite the hospital canteen and take the elevator straight up to there, off hours is to take the elevators that goes to the wards and go to second floor and turn right. I can call up the gynea clinic to ask about the antenatal classes providing the H1N1 hadn't stopped it, and I can arrange to have a tour of the ward and labour room as well.

Mommy is glad of being able to talk to them and having them answered all of mommy's questions. I feel more confident now about giving birth there. And armed with all these information I feel more prepared now and a good outline of what to expect when the time comes.

So baby, we'll see you soon!

Love,

Mommy

Damn That Old Wives Tales

Dear Baby,

Mommy had to use the drill last night, and made 20 books times 5 holes each = 100 holes. As it has nothing to do with the house, therefore the holes were not made part of the house therefore you are perfectly fine. Damn that old wives tales...

Love,

Mommy

The Glucose Test

Hi Baby,

Well, at least you kept mommy company while waiting for the blood test. Very active you were in there, probably hungry huh. Mommy had to wake up early this morning, daddy was still in bed by the time mommy left the house. Traffic was good, and didn't have to wait long before mommy got called in. Was told to prepare the glucose solution first, mommy brought along a bottle of water, but some guy who was having the same test didn't and was sent off to get water. They took the first blood sample and then drink the solution. Then mommy had to wait for two hours in the waiting room before they call me back in for the next blood sample.

Fortunately mommy got sudoku with me, or else it'll be a long wait. At the same time was listening to people's conversation, they were a bunch of retired men and one of them was talking about how it's really dull now that he's retired, and another guy started talking about one should know what to do with one self and concentrate on the children now that one has the time, and he talked about his children, how they are now studying overseas, he said if one is able to take out a loan for a car, one is able to send their children abroad to further their study, it's a better investment, you cannot expect the government to send your children for you. I couldn't help but nod in agreement with that conversation. We'll talk more about this when you're older, it doesn't matter what you are into, as long as you work hard at it to get to where you want to go, and we'll help you get there...

Love,

Mom

Towards The End of The Second Trimester

Hi Baby,

It is now 24 weeks... tomorrow. The check up went well this morning, mommy only gained 1.8kg this past four weeks! Yay! While waiting I took a picture of the ultrasound screening, going to show that to Auntie Elaine so she could explain what's what written. Urine test was all normal, got given the usual folic acid and this time twice the amount of iron tablets because I told them I finished them too soon. The nurse who was attending was nice, she checked to see if there was swelling in the legs and said there was a slight swelling so am suppose to keep off my feet. She checked for your fetal heart rate and it took her a couple of tries and mommy could feel you were kicking the sensor a couple of times too. The doctor made an appointment for a blood glucose test tomorrow and mommy would have to fast for that, so tonight from 10pm onwards, nothing, not even water. Mommy gets thirsty really fast.

Nurse said to drink water often and at least three glasses of milk a day, that's practically one box a day. On the way home from the clinic I bought a couple of yogurt pots and milk, Auntie Elaine said I should be taking calcium suppliments too, must remember to get some.

Tonight daddy will be home late, he's trying to finish up as much work as possible before our trip next week.

Mommy's next appointment is on 2nd March to see the result of the glucose test.

You're very active in there, it's reassuring to feel all the movements you made, sometimes mommy is quite surprised to feel you move so late at night too, I sure hope your sleeping pattern won't be all screwy when you're out.

Oh, the clinic gave mommy a guide book, have yet to read it, skimmed through it, it gave all the useful information especially like what to bring to the hospital when it's time, never thought about bringing my identity card and the antenatal card, got to add that to the list. Mommy will start packing nearer to the 30th week, get everything ready. Your next ultrasound is on the 34th week, that's 10 more weeks to go.

People been asking mommy and daddy if we bought stuff for you yet, we haven't. Daddy says when the feeling strikes, and mommy not too keen with all the too cutesy stuff there are out there. So if we happen to like what we come across then we'll probably pick it up. So far, nada. But your playroom is ready!

Love,
Mom

Pink!

Hi Baby,

Mommy went off to see Auntie Elaine today, it had been a while since I saw her last. Auntie Betty was there too, they said that mommy's tummy isn't that big indicating according to Auntie Elaine, who is a midwife after all, that mommy's carrying you more towards the back, meaning mommy's pelvis is an anthropoid, one of the four pelvic shapes. So mommy went off to look up what that meant and got this:

An anthropoid pelvis is, like the gynecoid pelvis, basically oval at the inlet,
but the long axis is oriented vertically rather than side to side. Subpubic arch
may be slightly narrowed. This pelvis favors occiput posterior presentations.

From my understanding of the readings, it means that you like facing towards the front, which apparently is not a good thing when giving birth to you is happening and it is best that we're to try and turn you into the correct back facing front position before you get engaged into the pelvis. Apparently being on all fours and scrubbing floors works because gravity will swing you around your back resting on mommy's front. One of mommy's friend said to talk to you to turn around about the 7th and 8th month so you'll be in a more favorable position for a natural birth, and if you're still stubborn about it, daddy will have a very stern talk with you. You don't want to get daddy angry now.

Mommy had the usual vitamin C jab and she inspected mommy's tummy. Showed me the position of the fundus, much higher than I anticipated, and she pressed here and there said you were lying sideways at that time. Then she used the fetal heart rate monitor. Unlike last time where we had to hunt your heart beat down, it picked up instantly, loud, and you kicked the sonar picker a couple of times too, Auntie Elaine could feel it. The sonar was stationary in one spot and we could hear how you kept on moving around from the heart beat as it faded away and then come back. Auntie Elaine said that you have a high base line most likely indicating you're a girl.

Yesterday mommy didn't feel like going hashing and texted Auntie Wina, she asked which colour shirt I'd like that they were giving away that day and will save me one, pink or purple? I said pink. She texted back, 'pink?' I replied with, 'what's wrong with pink?' long pause later... 'IT'S A GIRL!!!' was the reply.

Oh, daddy redid his website... This weekend is your granparents lambak birthday celebration and Chinese new year too. Next week is check up at the antenatal clinic, I hope all is well and mommy's weight didn't go up so much even though you're packing on 6 ounces = 170 grams a week...

love,

Mom

PS: Mommy just got a call to come for breastfeeding workshop on the 13th March, cool. Mommy had learnt the fact that breastfeeding takes about 500 to 800 calories a day! Not gonna pass up that opportunity to feed you lots... of breast milk that is...